Emulsions in the oil and gas industry are common. Crude oil emulsions can form when water and oil come into contact with each other, particularly when there is sufficient mixing and when surfactants or emulsifiers are present. For both environmental and economic reasons, it is desirable to separate water from oil. The most common method of emulsion treatment is the application of heat and an appropriate chemical demulsifier to promote destabilization of emulsifying films around water droplets. However, chemical demulsifiers can present an economic burden. The demulsifiers can also contaminate water and cause water disposal problems. Thus, the industry is always receptive to environmentally friendlier and more cost effective methods to break emulsions.